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received some brandy. It was a vessel of sixty tons, and astonished the natives with its size and speedy completion. They called the party Otkon, which signifies, says Hennepin, most penetrating wits.

Our author was now obliged to return to Fort Frontenac to procure the assistance of two monks of his order for the ecclesiastical services of the expedition. He set out, accompanied by a Spaniard who conceived himself ill used by M. de Touti, left in command by La Salle; and having carried their canoe around the Falls of Niagara, they proceeded to the south of Niagara river, where they found a brigantine come from Fort Frontenac to exchange brandy for beaver skins with the savages; "but (says our good Father) I must confess that his commerce of strong waters was never acceptable to me, for if the savages drink but a little too much of that liquor, they are worse and more dangerous than madmen." In this brig they returned to Fort Frontenac, where he found four Franciscans, of whom two, Gabriel de la Ribourde, and Zenobe Mambre, set out with him the following June. On arriving at the dock where the ship had been built, they found that it had sailed, but proceeding on they discovered it within a league of the pleasant Lake Eric. It was well rigged and fitted out, carrying five small cannon, three of which were of brass, and there harquebuses. A flying griffin, "with an eagle above it," adorned the beak. A difference with La Salle, now again in command, had nearly induced Hennepin to give up his journey, but La Salle having come to him with refreshments, and desired a reconciliation, he was easily pacified, owing to "the great desire he had to discover a new country."

After experiencing some difficulty in stemming the current of the Niagara, on the seventh of August, 1674, they entered Lake Erié, (which, from the accent on the last letter, appears to have been pronounced in three syllables, and is a softened word from Erigé or Eriké, a cat,) a lake, "perhaps, from East to West, a hundred and fifty leagues in length, but no European has ever been over it at all; only I, and those who accompanied me in this discovery, have viewed the greater part of it." Carefully sounding all night, they went on rejoicing. On the tenth, they entered Detroit river and cast anchor. Next day they sailed farther up this strait, "and passed between two small islands which made one of the finest prospects in the world." The fertility of the country excited their admiration. Hils covered with vineyards bounded the prospect. Walnut, chesnut, plum, and pear trees abounded; and they found the country well "stocked with stags, wild goats and bears, which are good for food, and not fierce as in other countries; some think they are better than our pork." Turkey cocks and swans were also common; and other beasts and birds of unknown names, but "extraordinary relishing."

Here Hennepin was anxious that La Salle should plant a colony, representing to him the advantages which the situation held out for trade, but having at heart the preaching of the gospel to the ignorant nations round about. La Salle would not listen to this advice, but told Hennepin that he was surprised at his proposal, considering the great zeal for discovery which a few months back he had exhibited.

Passing through the lake to which they gave the name of Saint Claire (called by the Indians Otsi Keta) and which he describes as being "far less than any of the rest, and of a circular figure, about six leagues in diameter, according to the observations of our pilot," they entered, on the third of August, Lake Huron. This name is derived from the Hurons inhabiting its banks, who are thus named from having" their hair so burned that their head resembles the head of a wild boar. The savages themselves called it the Lake Kareguondy." Its circumference he estimated at about seven hundred leagues, its length two hundred, but its breadth very unequal.

Steering north-northwest they crossed a bay called Sakinam [Saginaw ], which he computes to be thirty leagues in breadth. A storm overtook them on the night of the twenty-fifth, which increased in violence on the following day. Knowing not whither to run for shelter, they suffered their ship to run at the mercy of the wind. M. la Salle, though a man of courage, declared that they were undone, and all, falling on their knees, betook themselves to their prayers, the pilot excepted, whom they could never compel to pray. He cursed and swore all the time at M. la Salle for "bringing him hither to make him perish in a nasty lake, and lose the glory he had acquired by his long and happy navigations on the ocean."

The wind having somewhat abated, they hoisted a sail and got to Missilimakinak [Michilimackinack ], where they "anchored in a bay at six fathoms water, upon a slimy white bottom, a bay sheltered by the coast and a bank from the southwest to the north, but exposed to the south wind, which is violent in that country. The Hurons inhabited the point of Missilimakinak, the Outtaourts (Ottawas) dwelt to the north of them. The former, who were acquainted with fire-arms, and who had learned that a discharge of them was the greatest mark of honor amongst Europeans, favored the voyagers with a salute. Fish and Indian corn formed the ordinary food of these tribes. Those living on the "Superior Lake" sowed no corn, the fogs stifling it, but subsisted chiefly by hunting and catching white-fish. Some of the men went into the country to trade, and did not return until November, but M. la Salle having learned that the navigation of Lake Illinois [ Michigan ] was dangerous in winter, felt constrained to set sail on the second of Septem ber, without them.

Lake Illinois, Hennepin informs us, means "the Lake of Men, for the word Illinois signifies a man of full age in the vigor of his strength." He estimates its length at from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty leagues, its breadth at forty leagues. He adds, that the Miamis call it Mischigonong [Michigan. ]

At the mouth of the Bay of Puans [Green Bay ] they landed, on an island inhabited by some of the Poutouatamies, where they found some men who had been sent out the year before by M. la Salle, to trade with the natives, impatiently waiting their arrival. The chief of the Poutouatamies, who had been in Canada, and who held Count Frontenac in great respect, received them with much kindness, and had the Calumet dance performed before them. A storm, which shortly after arose, enabled this brave chief to give them another proof of his good will, for seeing the ship tossed by the waves, and not knowing it had strength to resist them, he ventured out to their assistance in a little boat. Having got on board, he told them he would at any time risk his life for the children of Onnontio, the name given by the Indians to Count Frontenac.

Of the origin of the name of the Bay of Puans, Hennepin gives this account: "The savages who now inhabit the land surrounding this bay had deserted their former habitation, because of some stinking (in French puans) waters towards the sea, that annoyed them."

Here M. la Salle, without consulting any one, resolved to send their vessel back, "laden with furs and skins, to discharge his debts." The pilot and firemen sailed in her on the eighteenth of September. It was afterwards learnt that they came to anchor to the north of Lake Michigan, and were advised by the Indians to sail near the coast, but the cursing pilot refused to hearken to them, "who," says Hennepin, "generally speaking, have more sense than the Europeans think at first;" and would steer as he pleased. A storm overtook them, and they were heard of no more, to the especial grief, doubtless, of La Salle's creditors.

On the nineteenth of September our voyagers left the island to continue their voyage, fourteen men in all, in four canoes, and shortly encountered a storm in the night. They contrived to get ashore on the next day, and had to wait four days until the lake grew calm again. Their hunting was unsuccessful, as they killed nothing but a porcupine. On the twenty-fifth they resumed their voyage; but after rowing all day, and the greater part of the night, along the western shore of the lake, the wind obliged them again to land. They remained for two days upon a rock, with no protection but their clothes against the rain and snow. A little drift wood which came ashore enabled them to make a small fire. They ventured to embark again on the twenty-eighth, but the wind, towards night, drove them on shore, where, on a rock covered with bushes,

they remained three days, and consumed all their provisions. On the first of October they left this "dismal place," and after rowing twelve leagues, came to a village of the Poutouatamies, who came to the shore to receive them, but La Salle declined landing, and obliged his men to row three leagues further. They carried their canoes ashore, and Hennepin bore on his shoulders his brother missionary, Gabriel, whose years forbade his entering into the water. Not knowing what the disposition of the inhabitants might be, they fortified a rising ground as well as they could, and sent three men to the Poutouatami village, bearing the calumet, to purchase provisions."The calumet is the most mysterious thing in the world,' : says Hennepin, and he devotes a page and a half to the description of it.

Their refusal to land had alarmed the villagers, and when the three men arrived they found the village deserted. They took some' Indian corn, and left some goods in place of it, to show that they were not public robbers. In the mean time about twenty of the Indians had gone round to where the rest of the party had remained. La Salle amused them until the return of the men with the calumet, at sight of which, giving a great shout, they rose and began to dance. A good understanding being established, our voyagers were supplied with wild goats.

They left this place on the second of October, and resumed their voyage. Stormy weather still attended them, frequently obliging them to carry their boats to land. The coldness of the water made them sick; and, to add to their distress, their provisions again failed them, their allowance being but a handful of Indian corn in twentyfour hours. A he-goat, throttled by the wolves, to which the hovering ravens and eagles directed their attention, appeared a providential supply. On the eighteenth they came to the farther end of the lake.

On the entire chain our author makes these remarks: “All these lakes may well be called fresh-water seas. They abound extremely in white-fish, greater than carps, which are extraordinary good; nay, at twenty or thirty fathom water there are salmon trouts taken at fifty or sixty pound weight. It were easy to build on the sides of these great lakes an infinite number of considerable towns, which might have communication one with another, by navigation, for five hundred leagues together, and by an inconceivable commerce, which would establish itself among them. And to be sure the soil, if cultivated by Europeans, would prove very fertile." The existence of tides in these great lakes has been disputed. Hennepin asserts in another place: "There are likewise some very plain appearances of a flux and reflux; for they observe the water to flow and ebb by little tides, and that it flows oft times against the wind when very high."

Having landed at the head of Lake Michigan, they had an agreeable change of diet in grapes as big as damask plums. A man having, contrary to orders, fired at a bear, a number of Indians in the neighbourhood came at night to reconnoitre, and stole some of their goods. The sentinel discovered the depredators, and they made a lame excuse of having mistaken them for Iroquois. They were a second time robbed; but the firmness of M. la Salle secured the detection of one of the robbers, who made a full confession. La Salle then advancing into the country secured another, whom, after having pointed out to him the first prisoner, he sent to his tribe with a message that if the stolen goods were not restored he would put his prisoner to death.

The savages were mightily puzzled with this message, having cut in pieces a coat which they had stolen, and divided the buttons. The rescue of the prisoner was proposed, and they advanced to give the Europeans battle. Fathers Gabriel and Zenobe said mass, whilst Hennepin accompanied the men, to exhort them to do their duty; and he avers that, having witnessed many battles in Europe, he was very little afraid of the savages. But reflecting how much more Christian-like it would be to terminate the difficulty without bloodshed, he advanced between the two lines to act as mediator. An incident now occurred which damped the courage of the Indians. One of the men seeing around a warrior's head a piece of the stolen coat, advanced boldly and seized it. At this the savages were so confounded that they came forward and presented the calumet to Hennepin. Some gowns of beaver skins were given to compensate for the stolen garment.

With the Franciscans the Indians were much pleased. These grey-coats, said they, went barefoot like themselves, took no presents, and carried no arms. Their kindness to the children likewise pleased them much, and they begged La Salle to leave one of them with them. From the continuation of their journey they endeavoured to dissuade the party by informing them, amongst other things, that the Illinois had burnt an Iroquois alive. Not discouraged by this, they reembarked to go down the lake on the first of November, and proceeded to the mouth of the river Miamis, which comes from the south and empties into Lake Michigan. What this river is it is difficult to tell, the Calumet and the Chicago, in some respects, answering to the description. They built a fort at the mouth of it, which occupied them till the close of November. On the twentieth M. de Tonti arrived, with part of the men whom they were waiting for, in three canoes, laden with venison. The rest of his party he had left on the other side of the lake. From Tonti they learnt that their ship had not put into the Bay of Missilimakinak, nor had she been heard of. They then concluded that

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